Arrests after boy injured in hate attack

A young boy has suffered minor facial injuries after an attack in west Belfast which police are treating as a hate crime.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the attack happened on Falls Road on Tuesday evening.

The incident happened at a Middle Eastern supermarket at around 6.10pm BST after a large group of youths began throwing eggs.

Several arrests were made.

Melanie Jones, temporary assistant chief constable, said: “For a third night our officers have had to deal with incidents including assaults, criminal damage and arson in a challenging environment across the city.”

“I am convinced that this was a terrifying incident for the young victim.”

ACC Jones said a large group from the local community were outside the store “to defuse the situation”.

A 14-year-old boy has been cautioned for offences including common assault, disorderly behaviour and criminal damage.

Sinn Féin MLA for the area, Paul Maskey, told BBC News NI it was an “unjustified and disgraceful attack”.

The boy is believed to have suffered a cut lip in the incident.

Mr Maskey said some of the young people involved were “very young indeed” and urged parents to keep an eye on their children.

“The community came out to support the store owner after the attack,” Maskey added.

“When a community is under attack, it’s important to come out and residents came out to show their support,” he said.

SDLP councillor Paul Doherty said there had been an “incredible display of community solidarity” following the attack, while People Before Profit MP Gerry Carroll said the attack was “horrific”.

The events come after a number of businesses in other parts of the city were targeted during violent protests.

Unrest breaks out after anti-immigration protest at Belfast City Hall on Saturday.

“The scenes we have seen in Belfast in recent days are a disgrace and have no place in Northern Ireland,” said ACC Jones.

“We continue to work with groups affected by this crime and hope these arrests will show the community that we are taking action.

“Our Public Order Investigation Team will continue to examine the footage to try to identify those involved, as well as those organising and orchestrating this disorder.”

The officer added that the PSNI has put in place a Public portal for major incidentsexternal platform allowing people to submit information, images and footage they have collected via mobile phone, dash cam or CCTV.